No you've pretty much got the gist of it. They can get a new patent on a new formulation (aerosol vs powder vs aerosphere) on the same medications. The same thing they do with capsules, tablets, ER tablets, ER capsules, solutions, suspensions, granules, injections, patches, you can go on. Same med, same effect, minimal new R&D needed compared to developing and testing a whole new drug, and cash in on an exclusive patent for 10ish years.

[–] glans@hexbear.net 7 points 1 week ago

It's crazy how each substantially similar innovation arrives about 9ish years after the last one. Must be the natural cycle of drug research?

Not that there would be any generic manufacturers chomping at the bit to make the doohickies anyway. Think of the insulin or epinephrine pens. Drugs are cheap. Doohicky is expensive. Probably all sorts of regulations, certifications etc related to manufacturing them not to mention distribution channels, insurance coverageand who knows what barriers.